1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to containers providing electromagnetic shielding.
2. Description of Related Art
The use of devices to track products and information remotely, such as RFID (radio frequency identification) tags, has become more and more prevelant. RFID tags are currently in use or have been proposed for use in objects ranging from library books, to passports, to credit cards, to articles of clothing. RFID and other tags that can be read from a distance provide significant benefits in tracking objects and have the potential to greatly enhance the efficiency of various industrial operations. This benefit comes at a potential cost to the consumer—a loss of privacy.
Since object information can be tracked remotely, it is possible for unscrupulous parties to gain access to data concerning an individual's purchases, finances, or other private information without direct contact with that individual. This eavesdropping or skimming of information can be minimized with encription of the data provided by the RFID or other tags and through handshake protocols that require identification of a reader before access to data is granted. It is, however, exceedingly difficult to prevent eavesdropping and skimming from sophisticated parties through these methods.
One solution is to minimize the time during which a tag may be accessed by shielding that tag in a container that does not allow transmission (or significantly reduces transmission) of electromagnetic waves. Such shielding also provides benefits for computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and other devices that may be accessed remotely and which contain potentially private or confidential information. US Patent Application Publication No. 20050092504 “Personal electromagnetic security unit and method for electromagnetically shielding portable electronic communication and data devices and the like” discloses a personal electromagnetic shielding unit that shields devices from unwanted wireless access, and is incorporated by reference herein.
Such shielding units, while useful in certain circumstances, provide significant difficulties to potential users. A user may wish to allow certain devices to be accessed remotely, such as a mobile phone for receiving incoming calls, while other devices such as a computer or RFID containing book, are shielded from remote access. However, if all devices are placed in the shielding unit, wireless access to all will be prevented.
Different types of wireless devices may operate differently and may therefore require shielding of different types. For example, an RFID containing card may be shielded from a reader by placing a piece of aluminum foil between the reader and card while a cell phone may need to be completely surrounded by a conductive fabric to be effectively shielded. A unique container or bag design is therefore needed to effectively shield different types of wireless devices.